ROTC Uniform Requirements

My son received a 3 YR AROTC Scholarship this year. He will enroll in ROTC at his college choice for the first year this fall but the way I understand the scholarship, nothing kicks in until his 2nd year of ROTC. My question is does he need to purchase uniforms during his first year of ROTC or are those things issued from the college or the Army? We are a Newbie to all of this and wondering if we will be required to purchase these items. If so, does anyone have a list of what is required. Does the Army reimburse the student or are they given a uniform stipend?

My son received a 3 YR AROTC Scholarship this year. He will enroll in ROTC at his college choice for the first year this fall but the way I understand the scholarship, nothing kicks in until his 2nd year of ROTC. My question is does he need to purchase uniforms during his first year of ROTC or are those things issued from the college or the Army? We are a Newbie to all of this and wondering if we will be required to purchase these items. If so, does anyone have a list of what is required. Does the Army reimburse the student or are they given a uniform stipend?

Thanks!

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Congratulations to your son on his scholarship. Your son will not need to purchase anything for ROTC. All the uniforms and materials are provided. There are some battalions that don't give full uniforms to 1st year non scholarship cadets, if they do not issue him some uniform items he will not be required to purchase any. The battalion will also pay for tailoring the dress uniform.

One thing I would suggest is that he look at purchasing a better pair of boots, have him check first to see what they issue in case they upgrade to a better boot. Over the first year he may need to purchase some small items such as black or dark green duct tape, a better flashlight w/ red lense, good sunglasses. All of his study materials and books for ROTC are provided as well, he will not need to purchase any other books for ROTC. It is best to just show up and see what some of the other cadets have purchased as far as the little things, they will be able to tell your son the best websites to get what ever he needs, no need to shop before he arrives at school, they will give him everything he needs to start out.

One thing to remember, make sure he keeps tabs of everything they give him. When he graduates he will turn everything back in, they will charge him for whatever he has lost. At my son's battalion they could purchase items at a discount from the battalion if they wanted. My son opted for new ACU's....and the Dress uniform they purchase when they graduate is not cheap so start saving early.

Where is your son attending school, best of luck to him. This is a great forum to ask questions and get information, there is a mix of parents of cadets and current and former cadets that are very helpful in answering your questions.

Thanks so much Jcleppe! I'm finding how much I don't know as we start this process! One of his friends is going to North GA College on a 4 YR AROTC Scholarship and I thought that they were given a list of items that they needed to purchase from the store on campus. I thought I heard that they were given a stipend. This was a couple of years ago so I can't guarantee that is correct.

I really appreciate all the information on this forum! Such a blessing to a newbie!!!

Thanks so much Jcleppe! I'm finding how much I don't know as we start this process! One of his friends is going to North GA College on a 4 YR AROTC Scholarship and I thought that they were given a list of items that they needed to purchase from the store on campus. I thought I heard that they were given a stipend. This was a couple of years ago so I can't guarantee that is correct.

I really appreciate all the information on this forum! Such a blessing to a newbie!!!

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4 year scholarship cadets start receiveing their stipend as soon as they have their paperwork completed and pass the APFT the first year. Your son will start getting his stipend when he starts his sophomore year providing he passes his APFT. I can only say that neither of my sons were given a list of things to purchase. The only things they ever purchased were items that were an upgrade to what was issued....flashlight, knee pads, and boots, they didn't get these items until they were well into their first year...except the boots, the ones their battalion issued were took forever to break in. Some battalions offer better boots so have him ask before he buys a pair. Also, if he does look at getting better boots have him check with the battaion to make sure they are regulation and can be worn at LDAC.

I bought my son a really good watch right before he started ROTC. I think I spent about $130. It was a good brand and was indestructable. It went to countless FTXs, quite a few summer schools, Ranger Challenge Training and Competitions, LDAC and made it to Graduation. My son said his friends bought many less expensive watches during that time. They would always break after some time. As for my son's watch, he went to the gym at the YMCA here two days after graduation and accidently left it there. He went back and it was gone. I bought him another.

I bought my son a really good watch right before he started ROTC. I think I spent about $130. It was a good brand and was indestructable. It went to countless FTXs, quite a few summer schools, Ranger Challenge Training and Competitions, LDAC and made it to Graduation. My son said his friends bought many less expensive watches during that time. They would always break after some time. As for my son's watch, he went to the gym at the YMCA here two days after graduation and accidently left it there. He went back and it was gone. I bought him another.

One thing to remember, make sure he keeps tabs of everything they give him. When he graduates he will turn everything back in, they will charge him for whatever he has lost. At my son's battalion they could purchase items at a discount from the battalion if they wanted. My son opted for new ACU's....and the Dress uniform they purchase when they graduate is not cheap so start saving early.

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+1

You will be amazed at how much it will cost at the end, and the allowance they give them will not cover 1/2 of it. Our DS commissioned AF this past spring via AFROTC and we had purchased items over the yrs, probably close to the tune of $700+, he still went over the allowance. He was fortunate because he was going rated they don't have to buy flight suits, so he saved money there.

I will also say I am not sure which is more expensive the uniform or everything you must put on it to be in regs. Tags, rank, shoulder boards, ribbons, insignia, etc are cheap, but when you start buying it they tend to put a nice dent in your wallet. That is before you pay the alteration charge to hem certain uniforms and sew on things to other uniforms.

So am I understanding you when you say that they do issue uniforms at the school and when they commission they have to purchase uniforms with an allowance? If they let them purchase the uniforms at a slight discount in the beginning, are they reimbursed or is it on their dime until commissioning?

So sorry for the questions but still don't know the basics. I hope all of this will be covered when he gets on campus. He just wants to make sure he doesn't show up and not have everything he needs.

They will be issued the uniforms when they enter ROTC as a cadet, no cost.

They will not be charged a red cent until they commission.

For him right now, there is no cost since he is ROTC. Upon commissioning he will get an allowance (BAS) to purchase what he will need for AD.

What Jcleppe and I are talking about is the fact that upon commissioning AD officers need more than the 1 or 2 ABUs, they need service uniforms (long sleeve/short sleeve shirts), dress uniforms, and even Mess Dress.At commissioning you buy the rank for covers, jackets, shirts, etc., along with engraved name tags and ribbons. All of this costs a lot before alterations. ABU's do not need alteration, service, dress and mess do! Traditionally, many parents when their children commission will buy those items as their gift.

I would not worry at all. I don't know what unit he is going to, but here's my list I would send him with:
1. Good running sneakers
2. Brown/camo socks and tees...ask Jcleppe, Marist, Dunninla, etc.
3. Moleskin... some dets do marching, this may become a blister issue, moleskin would reduce the issue.

A lot of this depends on which service his ROTC is connected. Your son is Army, The Air Force, Navy and Marines all have different uniforms and regulations.

For the Army, AROTC.

He will need to purchase nothing in the way of uniforms while he is in ROTC.

When he commissions he will purchase his Dress uniform, ASU's, the army is phasing out the Green uniform you see today, the dress ASU will be the only dress uniform he will need. As Pima said a lot of parents purchase this uniform for their kids for graduation. The uniform comes in 3 grades, Standard, Better, Premium. The cost's run from $500.00 to $700.00. When the cadets get the uniform the battalion will have a form they fill out and the Army will pay for the alterations.

After graduation they will need to get a couple pairs of ACU's, they get to keep their socks, and T-Shirts, and all the name tags and name tapes. Rank patches are just a couple dollars. When they get their first paycheck they will get a uniform allowance. If they buy their PT clothes from ROTC at a discount and buy the ACU's online or at the PX they should have more then enough from the allowance to cover the cost with some left over, that is providing Mom and Dad bought the Dress uniform.

PIMA is right, purchase a good....very good pair of running shoes and break them in running before he goes to school. Keep these shoes separate and only wear them for PT, they will last longer which is good because a good pair of running shoes are not cheap.

There is no need to buy special socks and T-shirts, they will issue him plenty.

Moleskin is a great idea, buy a bunch, there is thick and thin, get both and tell him to use it.

My daughter got bad blisters at FTX wearing the standard issue boots. Mostly her fault, because appropriate taping and toughskin precautions were not taken, and her feet were badly blistered, which led to a favoring limp the last day, which led to a straining of her achilles that lasted three weeks. And she got chewed out by her chain of command for not taking the precautions the cadets were briefed on. Trust me, you don't care how rugged or long lasting or thick/stiff soled a boot is if it gives you huge blisters at FTX and other cadets have to come to your aid.

When you get the standard ROTC issue boot (there are about 4 models that seem to change each year), wear them too, break them in, but don't wear them to to anything important like FTX or Ranger Challenge where flexibility and lightness is more important than durability or stiffness.

Also, your backpack that you use when in uniform (one day per week) or going to morning PT or anywhere else must be black with no branding visible.

My daughter got bad blisters at FTX wearing the standard issue boots. Mostly her fault, because appropriate taping and toughskin precautions were not taken, and her feet were badly blistered, which led to a favoring limp the last day, which led to a straining of her achilles that lasted three weeks. And she got chewed out by her chain of command for not taking the precautions the cadets were briefed on. Trust me, you don't care how rugged or long lasting or thick/stiff soled a boot is if it gives you huge blisters at FTX and other cadets have to come to your aid.

When you get the standard ROTC issue boot (there are about 4 models that seem to change each year), wear them too, break them in, but don't wear them to to anything important like FTX or Ranger Challenge where flexibility and lightness is more important than durability or stiffness.

Also, your backback that you use when in uniform (one day per week) or going to morning PFT or anywhere else must be black with no branding visible.

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Great link and tips for the boots.

Just check with one of the cadets at the battalion before you order, not for permission but to make sure they don't issue that type. An AROTC battalion close to my son's school actually issues the Nike boot mentioned above. Most don't but better to check before you spend the money on a duplicate pair.

I'm with Dunninia on this one, get the good boot before you start, it will save his feet from a whole lot of hurt, and use the moleskin even with the good boots for that first ruck march, blisters can happen even with the good boots until their feet are used to the long marches.